🟢 Chapter 1: Jis Ladke Ke Paas Kuchh Bhi Nahi Tha
Is duniya me ek sach tha jise har bachcha paida hote hi jaan leta tha—
"Mana hi sab kuch hai."
Jis ke paas zyada mana, woh powerful.
Jis ke paas kam mana, woh kamzor.
Aur…
jiske paas mana bilkul nahi, woh jeene ke laayak bhi nahi samjha jata.
Aaj Astra Kingdom ke capital me wahi din tha—
Mana Awakening Ceremony.
Ek aisa din jahan bacchon ka future decide hota tha.
Royal Plaza me hazaaron log jama the. Bade-bade magic towers chamak rahe the, hawa me mana ki lehron ka pressure mehsoos ho raha tha. Har taraf excitement, whispers aur comparisons chal rahe the.
"Is saal Royal family ka beta bhi test de raha hai suna hai."
"Arre uska mana toh paida hote hi overflow karta tha."
"Commoners ka kya? Unme se koi bhi elite squad tak nahi ja paata."
Aur in sab ke beech…
ek ladka chupchaap khada tha.
Uska naam tha—
Shunya.
Shunya ke kapde purane the. Boots ghise hue. Baaki bacchon ke jaise aankhon me excitement nahi, balki ek shaant sa focus tha.
Uski umar lagbhag 15 saal thi.
Height average. Body lean, par muscles tight—jaise roz physical kaam karta ho.
Woh kisi se baat nahi kar raha tha.
Bas saamne rakhe Mana Crystal ko dekh raha tha.
"Hey, Shunya…"
Uske bagal me khadi ladki ne dheere se pukara.
Aira.
Halki neeli aankhen, hawa me udte baal, aur ek natural softness jo rare hoti hai. Woh bhi commoner thi, par uske andar hope abhi zinda thi.
"Tu nervous hai?" Aira ne poocha.
Shunya ne sirf sar hila diya.
"Result jo bhi ho, sach toh wahi rahega."
Aira ko samajh aa gaya—
Shunya hamesha aisa hi bolta tha.
"Next candidate!"
Ek loud awaaz gungi.
Royal Mage ne list padhi.
"Veer Valorian."
Poora plaza ek dum shor se bhar gaya.
Veer aage aaya. Royal bloodline ka ladka. Uske chalne ke andaaz me confidence tha—jaise duniya pehle se uski ho.
Jaise hi usne crystal ko touch kiya—
BOOOOOOM!
Mana crystal ne neeli, laal, sunehri roshni chhod di. Pressure itna zyada tha ki kuch commoners peeche gir gaye.
"Unbelievable mana output!"
"Ye toh next Captain banega!"
"Royal genius!"
Veer ne peeche mud kar halka sa muskuraya.
Uski nazar seedhi Shunya par padi.
Ek pal ke liye.
Us smile me superiority thi.
Aur ek sawal bhi—
"Tu yahan kya kar raha hai?"
Naam aate rahe.
Strong mana. Weak mana. Average mana.
Phir…
"Shunya."
Plaza me ek ajeeb sa silence chha gaya.
"Kaun?"
"Shunya? Kabhi suna nahi."
"Commoner hoga."
Shunya aage badha.
Har kadam ke saath uske dimaag me ek hi awaaz goonj rahi thi—
Is baar bhi wahi hoga.
Usne crystal par haath rakha.
Kuch nahi hua.
Na roshni.
Na vibration.
Na pressure.
Mana crystal bilkul shaant tha.
Ek second.
Do second.
Royal Mage ka chehra badalne laga.
Usne crystal dobara check kiya.
Phir teesri baar.
Phir woh chillaya—
"ZERO!"
Poora plaza phoot pada.
"Zero?!"
"Mana zero kaise ho sakta hai?!"
"Ye toh zinda kaise hai?!"
Kisi ne hansa.
Kisi ne daya dikhai.
Kisi ne gussa.
"Isse ceremony se bahar nikalo!"
"Ye insult hai mana ke liye!"
Aira ki aankhen bhar aayi.
"Shunya…"
Par Shunya ne kuch nahi kaha.
Uske chehre par na shock tha, na gussa.
Bas…
acceptance.
"Rules ke mutabik," Royal Mage ne thande swar me kaha,
"Zero mana waala kisi bhi Magic Squad ke layak nahi hota."
Ye shabd Shunya ke kaano me ghoom gaye.
Layak nahi.
Veer aage badha.
"Kingdom ko aise logon ki zarurat nahi jo bojh banen."
Shunya ne pehli baar uski taraf dekha.
"Kingdom sirf mana se nahi banti," Shunya ne dheere se kaha.
"Insaan se banti hai."
Log hans pade.
"Philosophy suno!"
"Zero mana waala hume sikhaega!"
Us raat…
Shunya capital ke bahar purane training ground me khada tha. Tooti hui talwaaron, phate mannequins ke beech.
Usne apni aankhen band ki.
Aur daud laga di.
Punch.
Kick.
Roll.
Jump.
Uska body chillaya—
par usne rukna nahi seekha tha.
Har punch ke saath ek ajeeb si black vibration hawa me failti, par phir turant gayab ho jaati.
Shunya ko pata nahi tha.
Par duniya ka balance…
hil chuka tha.
Door kahin, zameen ke neeche—
Ek awaaz goonji.
"Zero… phir se paida ho gaya hai."
Andhere me laal aankhen khuli.
"Humein use dhyaan se dekhna hoga."
Shunya zameen par gir pada, paseene se bheega hua.
Usne aasman ki taraf dekha.
"Mana ho ya na ho," usne khud se kaha,
"main apni jagah khud banaunga."
Aur us pal—
uske haath ke neeche zameen crack ho gayi.
🔚 Chapter 1 End